So You Think You Can Dance – Recap & Review – Top 5 Perform (Again)

photo: fox

So You Think You Can Dance
Top 5 Perform

Original Air Date: Jul 28, 2010

Rachel M – Associate Staff Writer
rachelm@thetwocentscorp.com

No I haven’t lost my mind again. This week it’s supposed the Top 5 Perform, but last week the judges took the easy way out and kept everyone (and this is after two weeks of not having to make a decision because of injuries). So we still have six dancers, and this week, two dancers will be eliminated. At least that’s what’s supposed to happen. In the opening bit, Billy is wearing a knee brace, but he’s dancing, it seems everyone is mobile this week.

Cat’s outfit- cute! I don’t love the bagginess around the waist, but I’m willing to forgive it since it’s overall a cute look. I like her hair and makeup too. I really like her in a one-shoulder number as she’s got great arms.

On to the dancing please!

Kent with Anya (ChaCha): Oh god, they’re doing the chacha to that obnoxious Ke$ha song, “My First Kiss” blech. I’m trying to ignore the song and pay attention to the dancing, and I’d be shocked if Kent didn’t have some ballroom training somewhere. He looks really good and this is a solid chacha. I’m also majorly distracted by Anya’s shirt through the show thing. Why didn’t it get ripped off at some point? Her dress underneath is cute, why does she have the shirt on? Kent pulls faces but he looks good and he has grown up into being able to play the sexy man.

(Solo): Kent shows us his serious side, and it’s a good choice. He has power and intention in his movement, it’s a good solo.

Robert with Kathryn (Contemporary): This is a gorgeous number, that required such strength from the dancers. Kathryn of course, is perfection and Robert rises to meet her, he might even be better than her. I have to admit when I saw Kathryn with the army jacket I was hoping so much that it would be her that was the soldier, and I’m so happy they made that choice.

(Solo): Sigh, the shorts. All right Rachel, focus! Hot abs in the video! Sorry, still trying to focus. He has ridiculously long limbs, he’s gotta be pretty tall for a dancer. He’s almost as tall as Cat in her heels. And he’s cute as a button.

Jose (Solo): Was the solo time long or did that just feel long? I like Jose a lot, I do, but his time is up. It’s been up for a couple of weeks now, and he needs to take this experience and go on to the next thing.

With Comfort (HipHop): I was not excited about this routine during the pre-package, but then they set it to Otis Redding, and made it this vintagey sweet thing. And Jose cracked that smile and didn’t we all just melt. This is a another routine that made me want to stand up and dance, this was a GREAT routine and especially good for Jose. I’m surprised to see the vehemence with which Nigel and Mia don’t like it. I think the judges just made enemies because I think the audience really liked it! And by audience I mean me.

Adechicke with Courtney (Jazz): Well I say his attempt to not look like a contemporary dancer doing jazz kind of fails. He’s up to high on his toes and while his leaps and jumps are beautiful, he looks slightly uncomfortable through the whole thing, like the steps don’t fit the way his body wants to move. I give him props for having personality now. Adam makes a faux pas and says “that was just balls out dancing” on live tv. I’m not sure that’s against the rules but it’s probably not good. It throws everyone off their game however. Nigel ends up giving him the same advice he gave Billy a couple of weeks ago- to just let go!

(Solo): It’s in the solo that AdeChicke has always shined. He’s been saved from the chopping block on his solo on multiple occasions. It’s because he’s that good at his solos.

Lauren (Solo): This is a great solo, almost like the dance you would do in your bedroom to this song (You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman) if you could actually dance. It actually made me want to stand up and dance with her!

With Allison (Broadway): It’s first girl/girl routine, and it’s all about how the girls are just as good as the boys. The problem is that you put any girl (All Star or not) against Allison and they just aren’t going to be as good. So the bar for Lauren is exceptionally high. It’s not because of this that I don’t like the routine, I just plain don’t really like it. If it supposed to be about their talents, it doesn’t end up showing them off very well. There’s a section with acrobatics, but they both have such beautiful bodies and amazing talent that this just feels cheesy.

Billy (Solo): Billy is an amazing dancer, and this is a quirky piece that shows off his insane technique. It’s a good routine for him.

With Ade (Contemporary): Well this could very interesting. Ade and Billy play opposites in society, and they are so different in physicality and style that this has the potential to be amazing. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe this routine. Seriously, the choreographer just earned herself an Emmy nod. If you missed this routine, it’ll be on YouTube shortly I’m sure. This is the routine of the season for me.

Kent and Jose (Broadway): Kent looks great in this routine, his softshoe is lovely. Jose’s lack of technique becomes obvious again, especially next to Kent and his extension. They’ve got some nice acrobatics together but the routine feels like a softball to Jose in spots, where if it were a different dancer it would have been at a higher level. It’s a cute routine, the judges love it more than I do.

Lauren and Adechike (Foxtrot): I actually really like this routine. It’s a solid ballroom number, with music that fits the mood and the genre. The lifts are pretty seamless and aren’t extraneous. In all of the ballroom routines on this show, there is so little boxed work that I can’t even comment on the foxtrotness of it.

Robert and Billy (Bollywood): They couldn’t have a dance style that would make them look like gods could we? Maybe this will be better than I expect. This is where the advice that Billy got a couple of weeks ago to just let go and have fun is really paying off. He’s having fun while Robert looks so serious at the beginning. This routine makes me laugh, and maybe it’s not supposed to, but with their hiphop moves and belly shirts and big smiles, it just makes me laugh. It’s fun, and then you throw in some amazing pirouettes and it’s all round good fun.

So two dancers are going home this week, who is it going to be? I’m convinced Jose will be one but I have no idea about the other. What are your TwoCents?